If you’ve been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, it’s natural to wonder what treatment options are the best for eliminating heavy periods, pain, and bloating. Two of the most common are uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) and hysterectomy, but which is best for you?
The answer depends on your symptoms, health goals, and personal preferences.
Take a moment as the Fresno Fibroid Center team explains each treatment option in more detail and offers tips to help determine which treatment is right for you.
UFE is a minimally invasive, nonsurgical procedure that blocks the blood flow to fibroids, and without ample blood flow, fibroids shrink. Our interventional radiologists perform this procedure entirely through the radial artery in your left wrist.
We insert a catheter into your artery and use X-ray imaging to guide the tube (catheter) to the artery that feeds blood to the fibroid. We then inject medical-grade spheres called embolic material. This is why UFE works — those special spheres block blood from flowing to the fibroid.
The process takes 1-2 hours, and you can go home afterward.
UFE preserves your uterus and is an appealing choice for women who want to avoid surgery.
Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the uterus entirely. It permanently eliminates fibroids and the possibility of them returning, but it also ends your ability to carry a pregnancy.
Recovery time is longer — often 4–6 weeks — and, as with any surgery, there are greater risks compared to minimally invasive options.
If your hysterectomy includes ovary removal (not all hysterectomies do), then it can also induce menopause in women who haven’t gone through natural menopause. This is called surgical menopause.
If you’re weighing your options, consider these factors:
If you want to preserve your ability to carry a pregnancy, hysterectomy isn’t the right choice. UFE may be an option, though you should discuss fertility outcomes with our team.
Large or multiple fibroids may require surgery, but many women with moderate or even large fibroids do well with UFE.
UFE’s shorter downtime may be better for women who can’t take extended time off work or family duties.
Certain medical conditions may make one procedure safer than the other. For example, UFE may not be recommended for women with:
Don’t worry — all of your prescribed preprocedure tests are designed to make sure we recommend the right treatment for you.
The bottom line is that both UFE and hysterectomy can offer lasting relief from fibroid symptoms, but they’re very different approaches. The best choice for you depends on your unique situation and health goals, and you don’t have to make this decision alone.
At Fresno Fibroid Center, Drs. Pruett, Tower, Balfour, Behzadi, and Ng — who specialize in uterine fibroid embolization — take time to review your options, answer your questions, and help you choose the path that’s right for you.
If fibroids interfere with your quality of life, call us at (559) 216-0746 or click here to schedule a consultation with our team.
